Marigot:--- Several business owners on the main street of Rue de Hollande (RN7) spoke out on Friday about the lack of parking in the vicinity of their businesses which would allow the customers a few minutes of parking to shop. The business owners said the Collectivity began constructing a bus stop in the parking space in front of Nina Duverly School and the canteen ticket office since July of this year and the project was stopped in September 2011 because of the Collectivity did not have a building permit. Territorial Councilor Daniel Arnell who is in charge of public transportation confirmed that there was no building permits in place because there was some confusion among the different offices that deals with building permits. Arnell further explained that the building permit is presently being processed and the work will continue sometime in 2012. When asked if the Collectivity thought it best to eliminate the parking in the area to accommodate French and Dutch buses, Arnell became very defensive claiming that the lack of parking space for customers does not hinder neither does it reduce sales for the businesses during the holiday season. Arnell further stated that the business owners are responsible to provide their own parking for their customers and the government does not have to do it for them. Furthermore, he said reporters and the people (business owners) are looking for trouble and they should approach him on the air and they will hear how he will answer them this time around. It should be noted that Daniel Arnell is busy campaigning for the 2012 Territorial Council election to be held in March 2012 and it was obvious to SMN News that he was angry when we confronted him with the current situation in Marigot and how the businesses are suffering. "We are not supposed to provide space for them, it's the owners of the buildings and the business owners that have to provide parking for their customers." When SMN News asked the councilor how many years now those businesses are operating on Rue de Hollande, Arnell got even angrier and said come ask me that on the air and you will hear how I am going to answer," he concluded.The business owners said that they were told to park their vehicles at Galis Bay and then walk down to Rue de Hollande to operate their businesses, three of the business owners said that they were attacked by bandits while heading towards their vehicles at night. "The Government knows that robberies are high and security is not the best in Marigot, yet they took away the little parking space from us. Some of us are being robbed high day at gun point and yet the government wants us to take greater risk at night. "We don't normally walk with monies but the youths who are desperate would do anything for money, they don't know we don't carry money at night," one of the business owners said.
A store owner that sells bicycles and other Christmas accessories said he lost more than 50% of business this Christmas season because the people cannot find parking. "Many of them just want a few minutes for special items but just don't find place to park so they eventually leave to shop on the Dutch side. We are paying our taxes and while the other businesses in Marigot are closing their doors because of the taxation and the poor economy, we are holding on but we don't know for how long because the Collectivity's newest project just killed us."
Besides the ailing businesses, some persons in the area pointed out the two half finished rest rooms that the Collectivity chose to build in front of the canteen office. Some parents who were in the area said that when they have to purchase their canteen tickets for their children it's always hectic because there is no parking. To make matters worse, the parents advised SMN News reporter to return to the area when school reopens. The students that attend the Nina Duverly School are the ones that face the highest risk because they are forced to cross the main road (RN7) to hop on the school bus or to get into their parents vehicles. "There will come a day when somebody will hold their head and bawl and the Government will be sued when a child (7 – 13 years old) gets killed in the area. The parking in front of the school is taken up by workers and other people that live in the area so when the parents and the school bus go to pick up the students there is no parking and they force themselves on the sidewalks to wait for their children.Some of the bus drivers also expressed frustration saying that the new situation creates more problems because they are now forced to join a line to pick up passengers heading to Grand Case and Quartier d' Orleans. Those of us that are behind the first bus cannot leave when we want, if the first bus is not full. Most of us don't wait for our bus to be filled in Marigot we would leave with a few passengers from Marigot and pick up passengers along the way. So if the driver in front wants to wait until his bus is filled then we are stuck behind him.
They said that one side of the lanes is for the French side buses while the other side is the drop off point for the Dutch side buses. Passengers traveling from Philipsburg to Grand Case are now forced to get off the Dutch side buses in Marigot and join another bus to take them to Grand Case, the bus drivers said.
Click here to see the situation the incomplete bus stop created during the peak season of the year in Rue de Hollande.